"Do you not listen to what our leader says ?? He is injured" Adebayor has entered a new low if he now gets "injured" the week before HOME Europa ties.
Start everybody we're not planning to start Sunday. Friedel Fryers Kaboul Capoue (?)/Chiriches subbing in so he can start Sunday Naughton/Rose subbing in, I hope, so he can start Sunday Lamela Gylfi Townsend Adebayor Kane I haven't heard anyone say give Kane a chance, considering Soldado and Defoe seem to both be firing blanks. I've said Adebayor, but that presupposes he ever gets out of the doghouse, which is looking less and less likely. But Kane? He scored the last time he played and runs well. If the team keeps creating chances the way it's been doing lately, he could knock the first one in and go on a run.
After Saturdays excellent performance, I'd rather we rest capoue and play him at CB on Sunday. (If we've supposedly got a few injuries to key defenders. He looks very strong in that position.
AVB would be mad to play a lot first teamers tomorrow night. We're through and I think it's about time he gives a few youngsters a run out. Friedel, Naughton, Veljkovic, Dawson, Fryers Capoue, Bentaleb Fredericks, Sigurdsson, McEvoy Soldado Bench: Archer, Stewart, Dombaxe, Coulthirst, Ade (if fit), Lamela, Sandro Anzhi are through too so I doubt they'd play their strongest team either (unless the Russian season has ended/ on break and therefore getting match fitness, I'm pretty sure their league dates are different to ours, if not just ignore me). Not sure if all our youngsters are eligible, so perhaps a chop and change may be needed.
"If we beat Liverpool you can be sure there injuries will be mentioned and ours won't." We have a serious 2 month test of the squad now. If we are still in the domestic cups and still in reach of a PL top 4 slot come Feb 1, the self-belief in the squad will be immense for the run-in to May.
Apparently Rose (yes, you know, the guy that plays at LB) is available alongside Eriksen. Great news if true.
Rose, Adebayor and Eriksen have all been in training over the past couple of days. I still wouldn't risk Rose, but I wouldn't mind the other two playing some part.
Going to be interesting who does play in defence. No Vert, no Kaboul, no Vlad. Dawson should be rested, Rose not ready. So Friedel Naughton Capoue Fryers Townsend (we've played him left back before!) Lamela Sandro Eriksen McEvoy Adebayor Soldado
I was hoping Chiriches would be back. But if he's not, I agree we should not start Capoue. It might not be a bad idea to bring him and Dawson in late to give them a little more game time practice, but I wouldn't start either one.
The manager continues to be under pressure and he thinks to win 6 out of 6 in this league will gain him some brownie points. I anticipate he will field a strong side.
I've got to agree with that. The rule here should be not to start anyone who will start Sunday.It's bad enough we may well have a back four of Walker, Dawson, Capoue and Naughton, but we'd better not get any of them hurt. Though on second thought, a midfield two of Dembele and Paulinho, and Capoue and Sandro as CBs might not be the easiest team to score against...
Teams going into the Europa League round of 32 :- Seeded: SSC Napoli, SL Benfica, FC Shakhtar Dontesk, FC Basel 1893 Unseeded: AFC Ajax, FC Porto, Juventus, FC Viktoria Plzeň
Presumably the group winners become seeds in the next round. Are there any rules about about Group winners avoiding CL teams this year? If not Spurs v Ajax sounds tasty. A couple of their ex-players on board would lend spice.
